Gentlemen's Wing

Torsten Kreuger erected this building above the palace’s old cellar and laundry room. It was used to house male guests during holidays and after late-night parties. The gentlemen often used the rooms to rest after hunting trips and outlandish cocktail hours, where staff served drinks from silver trays wearing nothing but fancy facemasks.

Interior Designer Pontus Djanaieff recreated each of the two suites, junior suite and four deluxe rooms to resemble the quarters of the eccentric personalities who used to visit. The perks: clawfoot bathtubs in each room, poolside location, and Sweden's very first mechanical bowling alley under the same roof.

Bertil Malmberg

Books meant everything to poet and author Bertil Malmgren. That's why his room is very much defined by a well-stocked library.

Marguerite Wenner-Gren had many strings to her bow, so to speak. Amongst other things, she translated work by the famous author and poet Bertil Malmgren, who soon became a dear friend to the palace family and often visited as a much-appreciated guest.

Born in 1889, Bertil Malmberg became a well-respected man amongst cultured associates. Like many of the Wenner-Grens’ cosmopolitan friends, Bertil spent significant time abroad, first for studies in Berlin and later living in Munich for 10 years. In 1953, he was elected as a member of the Swedish Academy and solemnly took his seat in chair number 18. Amongst various duties, members of the Swedish Academy are responsible for selecting the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature each year.

Attributes

Room type

Deluxe

Room size

21 sqm

Hästens® bed

180 cm

Extra bed

No

Shower

Yes

Bathtub

Yes

Bathrobe

Yes

Toiletries

Malin + Goetz

Desk

Yes

Pets

No

View

Herb garden

WiFi

Of course

TV

32"

Ipod dock

Yes

Danny Kaye

Comedian Danny Kaye's room is as colorful as the many parts he played. It overlooks the herb garden.

The Wenner-Grens had friends all over the world. Long before international travel became commonplace, the couple frequently travelled back and forth across the Atlantic, and often invited foreign guests to visit them, either in the Bahamas or at their various homes in Sweden. Many of their guests were world-famous artists, whom they met through Axel’s work or via Gene, Marguerite’s movie star sister.

Danny Kaye, hailing from Brooklyn, NY, could hardly imagine that he would one day be invited to a 17th century palace in Sweden. As the son to Ukrainian immigrants, Danny dropped out of school early to take a strenuous job as a hotel performer. The salary was lousy and the days were long, but he never gave up. A few years later, in 1939, Danny made his Broadway debut in The Straw Hat Revue. Two years after that, in the midst of a raging World War II, Danny became a star in the play Lady in the Dark, thanks to his ability to recite the names of 54 Russian composers at an incredible speed. He did it in only 38 seconds.

During the war, Danny Kaye travelled to Japan and performed for the American troops. He was a tremendous actor, singer, and dancer – so musically talented, in fact, that on numerous occasions Danny was a popular guest conductor for the New York Philharmonic. Danny can be seen in old pictures, clowning about with Marguerite Wenner-Gren. It was with his talent for making unique facial expressions that Danny also won the hearts of his audience. He was awarded numerous prizes for his films and signature television program, The Danny Kaye Show. In 1952, Danny hosted the Academy Awards and in 1954, he received an honorary Oscar himself. Additionally, Mr Kaye was also the first person ever to be appointed Goodwill Ambassador at UNICEF, an assignment that he accepted with utmost dedication.

Every time Danny Kaye visited Häringe, he insisted on staying in this very room. Unfortunately, Danny’s visits grew limited after Axel Wenner-Gren was blacklisted for allegedly sympathizing with the Nazis.

Attributes

Room type

Deluxe

Room size

18 sqm

Hästens® bed

180 cm

Extra bed

No

Shower

Yes

Bathtub

Yes

Bathrobe

Yes

Toiletries

Malin + Goetz

Desk

Yes

Pets

No

View

Herb garden

WiFi

Of course

TV

32"

Ipod dock

Yes

Hjalmar Procopé

The stately diplomat, Hjalmar Procopé, is honored with a room that epitomizes his conservative streak. With navy striped wallpaper and medals of honor.

The Finnish lawyer and freedom fighter Hjalmar J. Procopé was good friends with Axel Wenner-Gren, and he visited Häringe Palace on numerous occasions during his life (a very dramatic and influential life, to say the least). Axel and Marguerite often spent time with Hjalmar and his fourth wife, Brita von Heidenstam - Frisk, who took employment as Axel’s private secretary after her husband’s death.

Hjalmar J. Procopé played a vital part in the modern history of Finland. The stories about his life seem to be taken out of a novel or movie. For instance, he was a member of Mannerheimer’s White Army, which led him to spend some time in prison. During the 1920s, he was both minister of commerce and foreign affairs in Finland. In 1928, he opened the League of Nations’ general assembly in Geneva with a brilliant speech. During the Winter War, he succeeded in acquiring 44 new fighter airplanes for his nation. In 1944, he was deported from the USA and defended, unsuccessfully, the former Finnish Prime Minister Risto Ryti in the War Responsibility Trials. In the end, he became a persona non grata in Finland, and for a period of time he took up residence in Sweden.

Mr Procopé was known to be quite the lady’s man. When he first met Brita, he was already married and had a son, and she was on the verge of marrying a Russian named Sven Oleinikoff. Hjalmar and Brita waited until 1949 to marry, and in her memoir Brita describes their romantic history. Hjalmar J. Procopé passed away on 7 March 1954, shortly after he returned to Helsinki to vote in the Finnish election

Attributes

Room type

Deluxe

Size

23 sqm

Hästens® bed

180 cm

Extra bed

No

Shower

Yes

Bathtub

Yes

Bathrobe

Yes

Toiletries

Malin + Goetz

Desk

Yes

Pets

No

View

Herb garden

WiFi

Of course

TV

32"

Ipod dock

Yes

Ivar Kreuger

'Matchstick King' Ivar Kreuger adored the lavish and would have settled for nothing less than a fabulous suite in the Gentleman's Wing. With lots of red velvet.

Ivar Kreuger has always remained somewhat of a mystery. Was he murdered? Or was it, after all, suicide that led to his death and the beginning of the infamous Kreuger Crash, which turned his incredible empire into mere pieces worth absolutely nothing? Ivar was known as the “Matchstick King” (he built his wealth by producing matches) and he had an eye for good deals. He was very smart – so smart in fact that he skipped two years of school and graduated when he was only 16 years old. Thereafter, he received a Master of Engineering degree before travelling abroad. Seven years later, Ivar accomplished his first business success with the company Kreuger & Toll, which specialized in the American construction technology that utilizes pre-stressed concrete.

Ivar had a very discreet way of presenting himself and he was not particularly interested in social events. Still, he is rumoured to have been something of a lady’s man. The singer and femme fatale Josephine Baker was one of the women Ivar is supposed to have had an affair with. Ivar flew his lady friends around the world for intimate meetings in his various luxury apartments, but he never married. Early on, the airplanes were also used for his personal business travels. Today, it’s hard to fully understand how influential Ivar Kreuger actually was in the international arena. But we can try… He is responsible for the first international demand for stocks and he gave enormous loans to the likes of France and Germany, in exchange for a monopoly on the production of matches in these countries. In fact, some even attribute Ivar’s loans with preventing several new world wars from breaking out. When his organization was at its peak, it produced 75% of the world’s matches.

When asked about the key to his amazing success, the low-voiced Mr Kreuger answered simply: “Silence, silence, silence.” To this day there are many unanswered questions concerning Ivar’s business methods, especially his bookkeeping. In fact, Ivar Kreuger was once listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest embezzler of all time. Upon his death, the so-called “Kreuger Crash” erupted, leaving many who had relied on him completely broke…

Attributes

Room type

Suite

Size

42 sqm

Hästens® bed

180 cm

Extra bed

Yes

Shower

Yes

Bathtub

Yes

Bathrobe

Yes

Toiletries

Malin + Goetz

Desk

Yes

Pets

No

View

Sea & pool

WiFi

Of course

TV

32"

Ipod dock

Yes

Jussi Björling

When visiting his dear friend, Marguerite Wenner-Gren, opera singer Jussi Björling slept over in the Gentlemen's Wing. His top floor suite is a spacious and extravagant retreat.

Jussi Björling, Sweden’s most prominent tenor, visited Häringe on numerous occasions. Marguerite Wenner-Gren was also a trained opera singer and, presumably, the two had plenty to talk about. (Before Marguerite became a full-time housewife she was a great success in Germany, amongst other places.) Whether or not Jussi entertained other guests with his singing at Häringe is uncertain, but we do have a few facts on him. Jussi was born in 1911 and during his boyhood, his mother passed away from tuberculosis. Following her death, Jussi, together with his two brothers and their father David, toured up and down the country as an all-male version of The Sound of Music’s famous Von Trapp family. Jussi’s debut took place in Örebro, in 1919. Later, “The Björling Male Quartet,” as they became known, travelled to the USA and the boys recorded six songs. Shortly after, their father died from appendicitis and it seemed as though Jussi’s career would end before it ever really started.

Luckily, with the help of some valuable connections, Jussi was given the opportunity to audition for John Forsell, director of the Royal Opera in Stockholm. Mr Forsell was very impressed and his notes from the audition read: “Only 17 years old. A phenomenon. Should be accepted and nurtured. Should be able to become something.” Two years after that fateful day, in 1930, Jussi Björling made his opera debut as Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Juan. The following year, his international career took off after an acclaimed performance at Tivoli in Copenhagen. Jussi performed at the most prominent venues throughout Europe and the United States, and he was worshipped by audiences all over the world. Jussi also recorded dance music under the pseudonym Erik Odde. His very last performance was in 1960, at Skansen in Stockholm.

During a particularly lush dinner at Häringe, it is said that Jussi and Marguerite had made so many toasts that when it came time for Jussi to escort Marguerite to her room, it took the pair two hours to venture up the stairs and another hour for Jussi to find his way down again.

Attributes

Room type

Suite

Room size

42 sqm

Hästens® bed

180 cm

Extra bed

Yes

Shower

Yes

Bathtub

Yes

Bathrobe

Yes

Toiletries

Malin + Goetz

Desk

Yes

Pets

No

View

Herb garden

Wifi

Of course

TV

32"

Ipod dock

Yes

Karl Gerhard

Karl Gerhard was an eccentric and whimsical performer, who enjoyed being in the limelight. Of course he got a special room at the palace, full of his portraits in every shape and form.

Karl Gerhard, later known as “Jazzgossen” (Jazz Boy), was born in the posh area of Östermalm in Stockholm. After performing on stage in Gothenburg and working with a travelling theatre ensemble, he earned a reputation writing the meanest, sharpest and most elegant revue songs in Sweden. However, it was not merely what the Revue sang, but rather how he sang that kept audiences amused: Karl Gerhard’s timing and facial expressions were meticulous – a talent that has left few artists willing to dare attempt his material.

Karl Gerhard loved to heckle people, but he always did so with a warm twinkle in his eye. The lady of Häringe Palace, Marguerite Wenner-Gren, was one who endured Karl’s witty tongue when he sang about her and her countless jewels. Karl also possessed very strong political opinions, which got him into a bind on several occasions. One time, after Karl first performed a song-and-dance act extremely critical of Nazi Germany, the prime minister personally rang him up and banned additional performances of the act, citing the reaction it had received from the German legation. Karl Gerhard replied – much to the audience’s delight – by continuing the act, but instead of singing the original song, he read an explanation of why the song had been banned.

When Karl Gerhard visited Häringe he always wanted to sleep in Sjöflygeln. Coincidentally, that is also where all the female guests usually stayed.

Paul Fejos

Staying over in Paul Fejos's junior suite is like spending a night at the museum. Skeletons, exotic hunting prey and other travel souvenirs fill the movie director and anthropoligst's vivacious room.

Paul Fejos, the Hungarian anthropologist and movie director, was a close friend of Axel Wenner-Gren. Together they took two adventurous expeditions to Peru, meticulously planned here at the palace. Later, with Axel’s money, Paul helped found The Viking Foundation – an institution that, to this day, rewards prominent anthropologists for spreading knowledge about different cultures around the world. Seemingly, Paul and Axel shared more than just an interest in foreign lands and cultures. Inga Arvad, who became Paul’s wife in 1936, is believed to have been a former lover of Axel’s. (It is noted that upon occasion she also flirted with a certain John F. Kennedy.)

Mr Fejos, who fought in the First World War, began his notable movie career in Hungary but left the country after a financial fiasco regarding the movie Egri csillagok. After spending time in Vienna and Berlin, Paul ended up in Hollywood, where he invested his life’s savings in an avant-garde movie about suicide. Surprisingly, the movie was a success and soon Paul Fejos was the name on everyone’s lips.

An international star-studded career followed, and today Mr Fejos is considered one of the pioneers of sound cinema. However, after several cinematic achievements, Paul decided to change his path to focus on exploring expeditions and archaeological excavations. And within this new vocation, Paul Fejos again achieved renown as an admired and reputable man.

The Bowling Alley

At Häringe Palace you will find Sweden's oldest bowling alley from the 1930's.

Everything is still in it's original shape and the bowling balls only have two holes, just like in the old days.

For a true 1930's experience we do recommend you to hire a butler that will put the bowling pins back in place and keep the Champagne flowing.

And don't feel bad if you do not beat your personal record. The Swedish bowling association was here a few years back and even the Swedish bowling Champiions had a hard time getting a strike. On these somewhat uneven, but oh so charming, lanes you need a totally different technique.